Starbucks has apparently changed their “freshness” campaign a little. Before, the Pike Place Roast bags proclaimed their roasting date, which is far more relevant to freshness than any other factor. Good coffee requires beans that have been roasted no more than a week ago. Ideally, it’s within only a few days. Every Starbucks roasting date I’ve seen has been 3-6 weeks in the past.

The Pike Place Roast bags now advertise their “Freshly scooped on” date. Yes, that’s right: the date that somebody poured beans into the bag. Someone bagged these stale beans today! They must be “fresh”!

(The upper menu board, the only remaining place I saw the roasting date mentioned, claimed a roasting date of April 20.)